Benedict Clarke
Benedict Oliver Dudley "Ben" Clarke (b. 5 December, 1996) is a former British child actor who portrayed young Severus Snape in . Career Clarke made his film debut in the commercially successful when it was announced in late 2010 that he had been cast as the younger version of Severus Snape, played by fellow late British veteran Alan Rickman as an adult in all eight films and Alec Hopkins as a teenager in 2007's Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, respectively.Young Severus Snape & Scorpius Malfoy actors in Deathly Hallows: Part II revealed. SnitchSeeker.com. 23 December 2010. Retrieved 24 December 2010. ]] Then 13-years-old, a casting director visited Latymer Upper School in which Clarke was in attendance at the time, and invited a selection of students a chance to attend an open casting call. Clarke auditioned for the parts of either young James Potter or young Snape sometime in late 2009 to early 2010. On 25 January 2010, he was called back at Pinewood Studios where he met director David Yates and worked with a number of other potentials for the parts of young James Potter, Sirius Black, Severus Snape and Lily Evans. During the process, the children were asked to improvise short conversations. Another recall took place and he subsequently received a screen test with then 10-year-old Ellie Darcey-Alden (who would be cast as young Lily Evans) at Leavesden Studios "as well as an associated costume, hair and makeup meeting." In February, he and Ellie were notified they had received their respective parts.Video: New Potter Kid Actors at LeakyCon 2011. YouTube. 19 July 2011. Retrieved 6 October 2013. Event occurs at 4:33."How did you come across the (role) for Harry Potter?" Tumblr. 29 December 2011. Retrieved 12 August 2016.Clarke, Benedict. "How old were you in DH pt 2"? Tumblr. 22 January 2012. Retrieved 12 August 2016.Gotobed, Rohan. Harry Potter and Me. Wordpress. 4 September 2016. Retrieved 5 November 2016.Darcey-Alden, Ellie. Ellie Darcey-Alden Biography. IMDb. Retrieved 28 August 2017. When asked by a fan of how he might have received the role, Clarke honestly admitted:Clarke, Benedict. "How did they pick you?" Tumblr. 1 January 2012. Retrieved 12 August 2016. Filming his scenes along with Darcey-Alden (young Lily), Ariella Paradise (young Petunia Dursley), Alfie McIlwain (young James Potter) and Rohan Gotobed (young Sirius Black) took place in April 2010.Clarke, Benedict. "When exactly did you film the scenes in DH2? (like, month/year)." Tumblr. 15 January 2012. Retrieved 25 October 2013. Shooting only lasted four days where one scene was shot per dayClarke, Benedict. "How long did it take to film your scenes in Harry Potter?" Tumblr. 13 August 2011. Retrieved 20 October 2013. while re-shoots and pick-ups were completed in early 2011.Video: Live From 205 News Interview with Ellie Darcey-Alden. YouTube. 6 January 2016. Retrieved 20 April 2016. To achieve the look required for his character, he had his naturally dark brown hair dyed black, had hair extensions glued on and wore dark contact lenses.Clarke, Benedict. "Did you have to dye your hair for the role of young Snape?" Tumblr. 13 August 2011. Retrieved 12 August 2016. According to Darcey-Alden and Clarke at a 2013 LeakyCon cast junket in London, production alternated between sets at Leavesden Studios and on location shooting by the River Lea in the gardens of Hatfield Park near Hatfield House—both set in Hertfordshire, respectively. Of the river scene in particular, Clarke elaborated by saying:Video: Harry Potter Cast Junket @ LeakyCon – Evanna Lynch, Scarlett Byrne and More. YouTube. 10 August 2013. Retrieved 20 October 2013. Event occurs at 29:16. Darcey-Alden added: Clarke further cited the river sequence as his favourite to shoot, saying:Clarke, Benedict. "What was your favorite part of filming HP?" Tumblr. 15 January 2012. Retrieved 12 August 2016. Once location shoots were completed, Darcey-Alden and Clarke joined McIlwain and Gotobed at Leavesden on the set of the Great Hall where the set was divided with one section of the Entrance Hall in ruins for the Battle of Hogwarts sequences; two days of shooting were completed from morning until evening, scheduled a week apart where three hours of school tutoring was provided.Gotobed, Rohan. Harry Potter and I. Wordpress. 5 September 2016. Retrieved 5 November 2016. A week later, a final day of shooting commenced in the Hogwarts corridor where multiple takes had the four child actors walk and run up the corridor numerous times. The original cut had McIlwain and Gotobed chase a first year Slytherin student, though this detail was eventually omitted. "Though originally the scene was without dialogue," Gotobed revealed in a blog post, "I suggested to Yates that I say 'Snivellus' as we pushed through Snape and Lily. David agreed that was a good idea, and even gave me a second line later on in the day, where I was supposed to say 'come on James' at the end of the brief scene. As you already know, both lines were cut for release in favour of Radcliffe's voiceover sic, which makes more sense in terms of the entire montage." Clarke later mentioned that he was lucky enough to have briefly said hello to Rickman whilst filming, though admitted he "didn't talk to him as such." He and his mother later had a chance second meeting with the actor at the world premiere after party in Trafalgar Square, London on 7 July 2011 where he described him as "a classy guy," despite being "kind of scared of him" initially.Clarke, Benedict. "Did you get to meet Alan Rickman?" Tumblr. 13 August 2011. Retrieved 12 August 2016.Clarke, Benedict. "Did you ever get to meet Alan Rickman?" Tumblr. 31 October 2011. Retrieved 12 August 2016.Clarke, Benedict. "While filming DH2 did you get to speak to Alan Rickman?" Tumblr. 10 January 2012. Retrieved 12 August 2016. When Rickman tragically passed away, aged 69 from a secret battle with pancreatic cancer on 14 January 2016, Clarke went into further detail on his meeting with him in a special televised tribute at both Rickman and Clarke's former school, Latymer Upper:Video: Benedict Clarke Interview on Alan Rickman. Getty Images. (Archived from the original on Oh No They Didn't!) 14 January 2016. Retrieved 7 February 2016.Video: Alan Rickman Latymer Upper School. YouTube. 17 January 2016. Retrieved 7 February 2016.Video: Sky News Tribute Alan Rickman. YouTube. 24 January 2016. Retrieved 7 February 2016. Clarke has also been relatively open in discussing his views on Severus and Lily's relationship, commenting:Clarke, Benedict. "What do YOU think about (Severus and Lily)?" Tumblr. 23 January 2012. Retrieved 12 August 2016. Since completing Potter, he has appeared in many short films, including lead parts in In the Wake of Sirens–a modern interpretation of William Golding's Lord of the Flies set within the confines of a locked car and was completed in late 2012Coetzee, Nathan. Video: In the Wake of Sirens (Full Film). Vimeo. 16 November 2012. Retrieved 23 May 2014.–and Andys. The latter was loosely based on Philip K. Dick's 1968 science fiction novel, Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep? and was directed by fellow Harry Potter alum Alec Hopkins, best known for playing the teenage incarnation of Snape in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. The film is a little over 10 minutes in length and while it was shot in March 2012, before Sirens,Hopkins, Alec. "me and @benedictclarke on the set of my short film." Twitter. 10 March 2012. Retrieved 23 May 2014. it wasn't released online via Hopkins' official Vimeo until early 2014.Hopkins, Alec. Video: Andys (Full Film). Vimeo. 24 February 2014. Retrieved 23 May 2014. In August 2017, he joined the cast of Cambridge University American Stage Tour's A Midsummer Night's Dream in the supporting role of Oberon, King of the Fairies and will be performed from 28 August until 7 October at multiple touring locations.Clarke, Benedict. "very excited to continue carving my cambridge theatre niche of dubious club bouncer. please come and see!!!" Facebook. 24 August 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2017. Personal life Clarke was born in Hammersmith, west London. He enrolled at St Catharine's College, Cambridge, a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in 2016, majoring in English literature and is expected to graduate in June 2019.Clarke, Benedict. "About." Facebook. Retrieved 29 August 2017.Clarke, Benedict. "Started School at St Catharine's College Cambridge." Facebook. 31 August 2016. Retrieved 29 August 2017. Filmography Film Theatre Behind the scenes at the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 world premiere in July 2011]] *He has appeared at many Harry Potter events and fan conventions, including the world premiere on 7 July 2011 in Trafalgar Square in London,World premiere for 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2' set for July 7. Los Angeles Times. 1 March 2011. Retrieved 19 October 2013.Video: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 Premiere London – Magical Omnibus. YouTube. 21 July 2011. Retrieved 19 October 2013. Event occurs at 3:52. LeakyCon 2011 in Orlando, Florida,Meet the Deathly Hallows actors at LeakyCon 2011! The Leaky Cauldron. 2 June 2011. Retrieved 4 October 2013. and LeakyCon London 2013.MuggleNet's Kat Miller moderates the Harry Potter actor panel at LeakyCon London. MuggleNet. 9 August 2013. Retrieved 23 May 2014.Alohomora! Episode 43: 'Live at LeakyCon London!' – Now Available! MuggleNet. 12 August 2013. Retrieved 23 May 2014. *He attended school with fellow Harry Potter alum Alfie McIlwain (young James Potter) at Latymer Upper. *He and late co-star Alan Rickman were not only born in the same district of Hammersmith, but both also attended the same secondary school, Latymer Upper. Notes and references External links * * Benedict Clarke's Official Twitter *Benedict Clarke's Official Instagram de:Benedict Clarke fr:Benedict Clarke pl:Benedict Clarke Category:Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 actors